Pop Video Analysis - Alicia Keys

This classic song by Alicia Keys features a moving, heartwarming video about a woman who is in love with a man who doesn't even know she exists. This is explained lyrically as well as visually within the music video. This is a very conventional video that follows a storyline throughout.

Like a lot of modern music videos, there is an introduction to the video to set the scene to the audience before the music starts. First of all, we meet Alicia Keys who is dressed as a waitress at coffee shop, in New York. The music then starts when a customer chooses a song on the jukebox and Alicia lays eyes on her sweetheart. This tells the audience that Alicia is represented as a very normal, average woman who has simply fallen in love.

Editing has also been cut to the beat within parts of the video. The specific example shown in the TubeChop shows how they've used some cutaway shots of the cafe to set the scene even more for the audience. We then see how the director has chosen to superimpose the scripted performance with the soundtrack. This is done to show the audience how much Alicia wants her lover to notice her.

The next location is at a party where Alicia Keys has made herself look beautiful to try and impress the man she likes. There is a change of hair, make-up, and costume to signify this. However, just before the man goes to talk to Alicia, a fight breaks out at the party and everyone leaves. The colour red is used a lot within this scene. At first, it is to connote the possible love and warmth between the two, but when the fight breaks out, it also symbolises that red can represent anger and danger too. It is quite effective how they've also included focus pulls on Alicia Keys - such as the one to the right - to ensure that the audience see the eye contact with the man, whilst consistently maintaining focus on the artist and the fact that she has dressed up, which suggests the affection she has for the man.

This final section of the video after Alicia Keys has played the piano (a convention in itself that is featured in almost all of her videos) depicts her finally plucking up the courage to ask Michael out for a date. Whilst she is talking to him, shots of them hugging, meeting and caressing each other are shown to insinuate that she is imagining what it'd be like for them to be together for the first time. Past shots of Michael in the coffee shop are also shown, implying that she is also reflecting on past memories. I love how the director has created a realisation of the relationship the pair share, simply through lighting, props and costume. The idea of a love concept is something I may include in my video.